On my comments on finish for the paddle, use whatever the hell you like best. Used that paddle yesterday after changing the finish to oils, and guess what. It still makes like a monsoon and gets you wet as hell. If it weren’t for the fact that I expect to get wet, it would be a deal killer for me.
Here is part of a picture of me while I was paddling. You can see the waterfall from the paddle.
Dio's Workshop 